Nominations are encouraged for members from all
communities, practice areas, firm sizes, and regions across the province.

Filing a Nomination

To file a nomination, the Nominator is asked to complete the online nomination form. Only one online form is required per nomination. If you are a supporter of a nomination, you do not have to fill out the online nomination form.

Submit a
letter of nomination setting out the reasons for the nomination and background
information on the nominee’s outstanding service and achievements as they
relate to the award (recommended length
not to exceed 2000 words);

A current
curriculum vitae or bio; and

Letters of support from
other members of the Law Society or the public supporting the nomination (5 to 10 letters recommended).

We encourage the Nominator to
file the nomination together with letters of support as one package. You can file your nomination
using the online form, email or by regular mail.

To File Online

To file
online, the Nominator simply follow the instructions to fill out the online nomination form.
The form allows you to attach all supporting documents.

The letter of nomination, letters of support and other accompanying material
submitted by email should be in PDF format.

Regular Mail

To file
by regular mail, the Nominator is asked to complete the online nomination form.The nomination package can be sent to this address:

The Law Society Awards Committee
The Law Society of Upper Canada
130 Queen Street West
Toronto, ON M5H 2N6

Nominations
will be considered for two consecutive years and do not have to be refiled
the second year.

Those
nominated but not recognized after two years may be nominated again by
filing a nomination package with updated information.

Selection Process

Nominations
for the Law Society Medal, the Lincoln Alexander Award, the Laura Legge Award
and the J. Shirley Denison Award are reviewed by the Law Society Awards
Committee. The Treasurer of the Law Society chairs the committee.

The
committee is composed of the Treasurer of the Law Society, six benchers of the
Law Society, the Chief Justice of Ontario, the chair of Ontario Law Deans, the
president of the Ontario Bar Association, the president of The Advocates’
Society and the chair of the Federation of Ontario Law Associations. The
committee will review all of the nominations and report to Convocation in
camera with their recommendations for the awards. The committee’s
recommendations must be approved by Convocation.

The
nominations for the William J. Simpson Distinguished Paralegal Award are
reviewed by the Paralegal Award Selection Committee comprised of all five
paralegal benchers of the Paralegal Standing Committee, the vice-chair of the
Paralegal Standing Committee, a lay bencher member of the Paralegal Standing
Committee and the Treasurer of the Law Society or designate. The selection
committee will review all of the nominations and report to Convocation in
camera with their recommendation for the award. The committee’s recommendation
must be approved by Convocation.

Announcement of Award Recipients

The names of the award recipients will be made public once all of the recipients have been contacted. The names will be published on the Law Society’s website as well as by news release.

Questions

Questions regarding the Law Society Awards can be directed to submissions@lsuc.on.ca, 416-947-3946 or 1-800-668-7380 ext 3946.

Award Details

Law Society MedalThe Law Society Medal, established in 1985, recognizes lawyers who have demonstrated outstanding service through ongoing devotion to professional duties or through a single distinguished professional or academic accomplishment that accords with the highest ideals of the legal community.

Originally established in 1985, the Law Society
Medal has been awarded to close to 200
lawyers in recognition of distinguished service.

The award was created in 2002 in honour of former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Member of Parliament, and 2002 Law Society Medal recipient The Honourable Lincoln M. Alexander, P.C., C.C., O.Ont., Q.C., to reward his dedication to the people of Ontario and the legal community.

William J. Simpson Distinguished Paralegal AwardThe William J. Simpson Distinguished Paralegal Award recognizes a paralegal who has demonstrated one or more of the following criteria: outstanding professional achievement; contribution to the development of the profession; devotion to professional duties; adherence to best practices and mentoring of others in best practices; a history of community service and personal character that brings credit to the paralegal profession.

J. Shirley Denison AwardThe J. Shirley Denison award is bestowed annually in honour of former Treasurer John Shirley Denison, in recognition of significant contributions to access to justice and/or poverty issues. Both Paralegal and lawyer licensees of the Law Society of Upper Canada are eligible for this award.

In April 2015, Convocation approved the establishment of an award in honour of former Treasurer John Shirley Denison, to be bestowed annually in recognition of significant contributions to access to justice and/or poverty issues. Both Paralegal and lawyer licensees of the Law Society of Upper Canada are eligible for this award.

The J. Shirley Denison Award is named in honour of Denison and his commitment to helping others. It succeeds the the J. Shirley Denison Fund, which was established through a bequest from the former Treasurer to assist indigent lawyers and their families, and which was closed in 2014.